Letter from Madison Grant to Dr. E. Lester Jones

COPY
Mar. 1, 1915.
Dr. E. Lester Jonas,
Department of Cornerce,
Washington, D. c.
My dear Dr. Jones
I regret to have r.lssed the opportunity of seeing you on Friday, as I should have been glad to thank you In person for your Interesting report on game in Alaska.
I have been on the point of writing you in this con­nection and about the bill proposing to transfer the care of the so called brown bear of Alaska from the Biological Survey to the Bureau of Fisheries, or rather the respective depart­ments to which these bureaus belong.
The official reports of tae recent governors of Alaska, and tne informal reports tnat reach us from there, show an increasing impatience on the part of the local in­habitants at the protection of the great brown bear of Alaska, and some of the governors, notably, Mr. Walter E. Clark, have been guilty of zoological absurdities in talking qbout this animal being found in the same litter v.ritn the black bear.
I quote from my report on the game conditions of Alaska, publishes, in the Fifth Book of the Boone and Crockett Club, entitled "Hunting at High Altitudes".
"As a further evidence of this gentleman's qualifica­tions as game expert and zoologist, (Governor Clark), I quote still further from his report of 1912.
\
VEV.’ YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCILTY,
Office of the Chairman, Exec.Comm.
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
"An intimation of the present incongruous con­dition is given when it is stated that brown bears are denominated as game, and are protected by the game regu­lations, 'ti ile black bears are regarded as fur-bearing animals, subject to the regulations administered by the Bureau of Fisheries. Yet the workings of nature are such that of the same litter some bears are black and others are brown."
Thus the cinnamon bear of the Y/est has become transform­ed into the gigantic Alaska brown bear through the mysterious workings of nature.
It is to be hoped that the new Governor of Alaska will inform himself on the facts and acquire some elementary know­ledge of the subject before he attempts to make recommenda­tions on the game laws, but it is doubtful whether any new Governor will ever attain such a pinnacle of grotesque absurdity as the recent incumbent."
As you well know, there are three great groups of bear in North America outside of the polar bear; one, the grizzly bear of our Western United States, Canada and of the interior of Alaska, a group of bear with which we are not at present concerned.
Second, the black bear group, which in certain por­tions of its range, notably the West and Northwest, has a color phase known as the brown or cinnamon bear. These so called cinnamon or brown bears are color phases and nothing else, and cubs of this shade are found in the same litter with black cubs; they are the typical "Ursus amerieanus", and are properly class­ed as fur bearing animals, and pelts of the black bear have always been so regarded.
The third and last group includes all the Alaska brown bears, which number some half dozen species, and of which the Kadiak Bear, "Ursus middenaorffi”, is the type. These brown bears are confined to the Alaska Peninsula, and the South Alaska coast sb far as Mt. St. Elias, and the islands South-
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
#
<18 Admiralty island; and recent evlience indicates
ward as fur
je bears extend up Western Alaska as far as the Kobuk
that tv
r. They are long clawed and are related to the fish eating
Rd
jears of Kamchatka, and are the largest living carnivores. These fish eating bears are practically harmless, and are no relation or connection whatever with the cinnamon or brown phase of the black bear. These huge bears are now inadequately protected by law, and should have still more protection. Selfish interests in Alaska are only too anxious to commercialize and export the skins of these animals, and if these Interests secure control of the situation, a speedy extermination of these bears would be the result.
The brown bears are the greatest attraction to visit­ing sportsmen in Alaska, and as living animals, are worth in­finitely more to the natives and the wnite population of Alaska than the cash derived from the sale of skins, although, of course, it is too ruch to expect the local intelligence to grasp this, as it is only in olden and wiser com1 unities with a fixed and not a floating population, that the eorrnereial value of living game is appreciated.
Some of us in the Boone and CVockett Club and in the Zoolo ioal Society hsve felt that the transfer of the care of these bears from the Biological Survey to the Bureau of Fisheries, and their consequent clasBification as fur bearing animals, would probably be fatal to theee animals if trafiic in skins were per­mitted.
The unfortunate extracts from your report in the New X ork Times, referring to the injury to the fisheries by bear, ee gles, and gulls, have resulted In the belief in the city that
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
you were abo~c aci-voca^e their extermination in the interest °f the P-tircon fisheries. Of course, it is not necessary to pofnt out that hears were originally present in great numbers on these same rivers at the time when the salmon abounded in untola myriads, and that the bear, with a few exceptions, catch
and eat injured and dying fish, or those tn&t have finished their
breeding operations. I have been on some of these salmon rivers myself, and while of course there are a few places on the riffles where salmon can be literally Kicked ashore, or else are crowded ashore, the toll of good sound fish that a bear could catch must be very trifling. The seining at the mouth of rivers by the canneries does a thousand fold more injury.
I wish to assure you that the Boone and Crockett Club
and the Zoological Society, so far as I am in a position to
speak for either of them, will be greatly relieved to hear that you are staunchly in favor of extending instead of diminishing the protection afforded the great brown bear of Alaska, and I should like to be in a position to assure them authoritatively that this was so.
The destruction of wild life, notably in Alaska, is so sickening that all the forces engaged in conservation should thoroughly cooperate with one another, and should unitea in all measures for the protection of wild life, whether on land or sea, against the forces which desire to selfisnly exploit tne resources of the people as a whole for the benefit of a few.
In this connection it may be interesting to recall a somewhat similar misapprehension In regard to. the Sea Lions on the Pacific Coast. The various cannery interests, backed up
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
by the Fie‘ Commissioners of some of the coast states, notably California and Dregon, decided that the decline of salmon was largely due to the fact that a few hundred Sea Lions still survived on the outlying rocks off the coast. The reason for the decline of salmon was fairly obvious to anyone who saw the great numbers of fishing wheels all along the Columbia River, which caught the salmon by wagon loads. Nevertheless the local State Fish Commissioners decided that all the Sea Lions should be exterminated. This Calamity was averted by the activities of the Zoological Society and the National Bureau of Fisheries, which took a prominent part in the discussion. The absurdity of the proposed scheme for the slaughter of the Sea Lions was shown, and further investigation demonstrated that the chief food of the Sea Lions was squid, and edible fishes only entered into their food supply to a very limited extent. Those who started the agitation were the objects of ridicule from one end of the country to the other.
Pith renewed thanks for sending me a cony of your re­port, and with best regards, I remain,
Sincerely yours,
(signed) MADISON GRANT,
Chairman.
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.

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Transcript

COPY
Mar. 1, 1915.
Dr. E. Lester Jonas,
Department of Cornerce,
Washington, D. c.
My dear Dr. Jones
I regret to have r.lssed the opportunity of seeing you on Friday, as I should have been glad to thank you In person for your Interesting report on game in Alaska.
I have been on the point of writing you in this con­nection and about the bill proposing to transfer the care of the so called brown bear of Alaska from the Biological Survey to the Bureau of Fisheries, or rather the respective depart­ments to which these bureaus belong.
The official reports of tae recent governors of Alaska, and tne informal reports tnat reach us from there, show an increasing impatience on the part of the local in­habitants at the protection of the great brown bear of Alaska, and some of the governors, notably, Mr. Walter E. Clark, have been guilty of zoological absurdities in talking qbout this animal being found in the same litter v.ritn the black bear.
I quote from my report on the game conditions of Alaska, publishes, in the Fifth Book of the Boone and Crockett Club, entitled "Hunting at High Altitudes".
"As a further evidence of this gentleman's qualifica­tions as game expert and zoologist, (Governor Clark), I quote still further from his report of 1912.
\
VEV.’ YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCILTY,
Office of the Chairman, Exec.Comm.
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
"An intimation of the present incongruous con­dition is given when it is stated that brown bears are denominated as game, and are protected by the game regu­lations, 'ti ile black bears are regarded as fur-bearing animals, subject to the regulations administered by the Bureau of Fisheries. Yet the workings of nature are such that of the same litter some bears are black and others are brown."
Thus the cinnamon bear of the Y/est has become transform­ed into the gigantic Alaska brown bear through the mysterious workings of nature.
It is to be hoped that the new Governor of Alaska will inform himself on the facts and acquire some elementary know­ledge of the subject before he attempts to make recommenda­tions on the game laws, but it is doubtful whether any new Governor will ever attain such a pinnacle of grotesque absurdity as the recent incumbent."
As you well know, there are three great groups of bear in North America outside of the polar bear; one, the grizzly bear of our Western United States, Canada and of the interior of Alaska, a group of bear with which we are not at present concerned.
Second, the black bear group, which in certain por­tions of its range, notably the West and Northwest, has a color phase known as the brown or cinnamon bear. These so called cinnamon or brown bears are color phases and nothing else, and cubs of this shade are found in the same litter with black cubs; they are the typical "Ursus amerieanus", and are properly class­ed as fur bearing animals, and pelts of the black bear have always been so regarded.
The third and last group includes all the Alaska brown bears, which number some half dozen species, and of which the Kadiak Bear, "Ursus middenaorffi”, is the type. These brown bears are confined to the Alaska Peninsula, and the South Alaska coast sb far as Mt. St. Elias, and the islands South-
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
#
<18 Admiralty island; and recent evlience indicates
ward as fur
je bears extend up Western Alaska as far as the Kobuk
that tv
r. They are long clawed and are related to the fish eating
Rd
jears of Kamchatka, and are the largest living carnivores. These fish eating bears are practically harmless, and are no relation or connection whatever with the cinnamon or brown phase of the black bear. These huge bears are now inadequately protected by law, and should have still more protection. Selfish interests in Alaska are only too anxious to commercialize and export the skins of these animals, and if these Interests secure control of the situation, a speedy extermination of these bears would be the result.
The brown bears are the greatest attraction to visit­ing sportsmen in Alaska, and as living animals, are worth in­finitely more to the natives and the wnite population of Alaska than the cash derived from the sale of skins, although, of course, it is too ruch to expect the local intelligence to grasp this, as it is only in olden and wiser com1 unities with a fixed and not a floating population, that the eorrnereial value of living game is appreciated.
Some of us in the Boone and CVockett Club and in the Zoolo ioal Society hsve felt that the transfer of the care of these bears from the Biological Survey to the Bureau of Fisheries, and their consequent clasBification as fur bearing animals, would probably be fatal to theee animals if trafiic in skins were per­mitted.
The unfortunate extracts from your report in the New X ork Times, referring to the injury to the fisheries by bear, ee gles, and gulls, have resulted In the belief in the city that
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
you were abo~c aci-voca^e their extermination in the interest °f the P-tircon fisheries. Of course, it is not necessary to pofnt out that hears were originally present in great numbers on these same rivers at the time when the salmon abounded in untola myriads, and that the bear, with a few exceptions, catch
and eat injured and dying fish, or those tn&t have finished their
breeding operations. I have been on some of these salmon rivers myself, and while of course there are a few places on the riffles where salmon can be literally Kicked ashore, or else are crowded ashore, the toll of good sound fish that a bear could catch must be very trifling. The seining at the mouth of rivers by the canneries does a thousand fold more injury.
I wish to assure you that the Boone and Crockett Club
and the Zoological Society, so far as I am in a position to
speak for either of them, will be greatly relieved to hear that you are staunchly in favor of extending instead of diminishing the protection afforded the great brown bear of Alaska, and I should like to be in a position to assure them authoritatively that this was so.
The destruction of wild life, notably in Alaska, is so sickening that all the forces engaged in conservation should thoroughly cooperate with one another, and should unitea in all measures for the protection of wild life, whether on land or sea, against the forces which desire to selfisnly exploit tne resources of the people as a whole for the benefit of a few.
In this connection it may be interesting to recall a somewhat similar misapprehension In regard to. the Sea Lions on the Pacific Coast. The various cannery interests, backed up
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.
by the Fie‘ Commissioners of some of the coast states, notably California and Dregon, decided that the decline of salmon was largely due to the fact that a few hundred Sea Lions still survived on the outlying rocks off the coast. The reason for the decline of salmon was fairly obvious to anyone who saw the great numbers of fishing wheels all along the Columbia River, which caught the salmon by wagon loads. Nevertheless the local State Fish Commissioners decided that all the Sea Lions should be exterminated. This Calamity was averted by the activities of the Zoological Society and the National Bureau of Fisheries, which took a prominent part in the discussion. The absurdity of the proposed scheme for the slaughter of the Sea Lions was shown, and further investigation demonstrated that the chief food of the Sea Lions was squid, and edible fishes only entered into their food supply to a very limited extent. Those who started the agitation were the objects of ridicule from one end of the country to the other.
Pith renewed thanks for sending me a cony of your re­port, and with best regards, I remain,
Sincerely yours,
(signed) MADISON GRANT,
Chairman.
Boone and Crockett Club Records (Mss 738), Archives and Special Collections. Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library. University of Montana-Missoula.